Hong Baichuan nodded. "What Elder Mo says is reasonable. I will send someone to make the arrangements at once."

As the setting sun sank in the west, the twenty-three mechanical Copper Bells of Celestial Craft City boomed in succession.

The disciples on the Observatory had already dispersed. Sect Leader Hong Baichuan also said he was preparing to travel to Shu City to visit the Governor.

The central authority of the Jade Capital Dao could no longer effectively govern its territories. The various regions were practically independent, so it was only natural to coordinate in advance. If the Daqian broke through the two Daos and advanced, they would need a plan to respond.

Xu Yunfan and Fu Jin remained on the Observatory, watching as the disciples from the Mechanical Hall, led by Mo Shisan, gradually dismantled the Giant Kite mechanism to analyze the holes made by crossbow bolts.

「As time passed.」

The setting sun hung on the horizon, its last rays spilling over the flying eaves of Celestial Craft City and startling flocks of swallows into flight.

The vibrato of the twenty-first mechanical Copper Bell still echoed in their ears, but only two figures remained on the Observatory.

Xu Yunfan leaned on the railing, looking down at the ant-like swarm of Mechanical Hall disciples below. Mo Shisan was directing them as they dismantled the Honeycomb Crossbow Mechanism at the root of the Giant Kite’s wing, his Profound Crystal Goggles gleaming with a cold, blue light in the dusk.

"Master seems to still be in Qingzhou, in Yanbei Dao. It’s said he was heading for Divine Weapon Ridge."

After a long silence, Xu Yunfan was the first to speak, a hint of anxiety in his heart.

He knew, of course, why Zhan Yan had gone there. Divine Weapon Ridge definitely held some secret that could help him escape the Extreme Dao Relic Shell.

"A message from a flying kite three days ago said Master was sighted within Qingzhou’s borders." Fu Jin spoke up suddenly, his knuckles unconsciously rubbing the diamond pattern on his Nine-Ring Mountain-Shaking Hammer. "That place, Divine Weapon Ridge, is on the border of the Qing and Wu States. There’s a major road below it. If the two states want to maintain contact, they won’t abandon that road..."

"If a Blood Exchange Realm expert wants to leave, not even an army of thousands can stop him," Xu Yunfan cut him off. The red scale pattern on the palm-sized Thunderfire Qilin Hammer he held reflected the evening glow. "Perhaps he found a way to suppress the Extreme Dao Relic Shell and has just been delayed."

Fu Jin’s composure had shattered. Zhan Yan was his backbone—it had been true when he was a disciple at Divine Weapon Ridge, and it was even more so now in the Celestial Craft Cave.

He abruptly tightened his grip on the hammer’s handle, the steel rings clashing and striking sparks. "Nine of Yanbei Dao’s Sixteen States have already fallen! Did you hear the news the Giant Kite Team disciple brought just now? The Daqian’s one-hundred-thousand-strong army has surrounded Qingzhou like an iron barrel. Not even a tit could..."

"You think Master is a pushover?"

Xu Yunfan flicked the railing with his finger. The ringing vibration drowned out the end of Fu Jin’s sentence, proving that Xu Yunfan’s own heart was not as calm as he appeared on the surface.

"Back when the Incense and Candle Sect launched a night raid on Celestial Craft Fortress, the old man single-handedly smashed through three hundred Heavy Armor troops without getting a speck of dust on his bloody robes..."

Fu Jin’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, but his brow furrowed again. "But this time is different. The Daqian Army is filled with countless experts. They don’t have anything like Martial Arts Sects over there. According to Elder Mo, all the Martial Arts Sects there have had their mountains razed and temples shattered by the Daqian..."

"The Great Zhou isn’t the Daqian. The Nine Radiance Sect is no pushover, either. Why do you think the Nine Radiance Sect is still sitting back and watching things unfold?" Xu Yunfan responded.

After some more persuasion, Xu Yunfan finally managed to calm Fu Jin’s turbulent thoughts.

As they parted ways, Xu Yunfan watched Fu Jin’s departing back and couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly.

’Senior Brother has lost his composure.’

’He sees Zhan Yan as a father, and Zhan Yan feels the same way. After all, Fu Jin grew up under his care.’

He raised his head, looking up at the nine heavens.

His eyes flickered, a hint of hesitation in his heart. ’Leaving at a critical time like this would be a bad idea.’

In the end, he dismissed the thought.

「The next morning」

After cultivating the Linn Character Technique, Xu Yunfan once again opened the Profound Steel Mechanism Box on his chest.

"Hm?"

Seeing that the Ginseng Child hadn’t poked its head out at all, Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow and tapped the Profound Steel Mechanism Box.

CLANG! CLANG!

The sounds were amplified by the nine-layered hollow structure within the Mechanical Box, finally ringing like a great bell and becoming unbearable for the Ginseng Child. It abruptly stuck its head out of a hole, squeaking incessantly at Xu Yunfan.

Xu Yunfan paid it no mind. He took a deep breath, drawing a wisp of the Qi of Ginseng into his body, then expressionlessly pushed the Ginseng Child back into the Mechanical Box and closed it.

Using this wisp of Qi of Ginseng, Xu Yunfan guided his Pure Yang Inner Breath to move slowly through his flesh and blood, continuously strengthening his Inner Breath.

Xu Yunfan closed his eyes and concentrated his spirit. The moment the Qi of Ginseng entered his body, the Dazhui acupoint at the back of his neck began to throb wildly. His Pure Yang Inner Breath flowed like lava down his spine, splitting into two streams that guided the Qi of Ginseng to seep into his muscles, sinews, and skin. With every minor circulation, a portion of the Qi of Ginseng would merge with his Pure Yang Inner Breath, strengthening it at a visible rate.

As his Blood Qi was stirred and the Pure Yang Inner Breath surged through his flesh, the biceps on his arms visibly bulged and contracted. Each pulsation vibrated his bones, causing them to rattle.

The scorching current coursing through his fascia felt like a bowstring being plucked with the force of a thunderclap.

As the morning light crept over his bare back muscles, beads of sweat evaporated into rising mist from the astonishing heat radiating from his body before they could even hit the ground.

’While performing a Celestial Cycle, your body’s Pure Yang Inner Breath produced a profound resonance with the Qi of Ginseng. The Pure Yang Inner Breath completed three Great Celestial Cycles through your torso and arms. Skill Level has increased significantly.’

’You...’

After finishing his practice, Xu Yunfan glanced at the few notifications that had floated up on his Attribute Panel.

The seven Skill Level notifications had increased his Skill Level by a total of forty-two points. He was now only one hundred and twenty points away from achieving Great Success in the Pure Yang Qi Skill.

Xu Yunfan was overjoyed. ’At this rate, I won’t need half a month. I might be able to achieve Great Success in the Outer Three Harmonies within a few days!’

To reach the Outer Three Harmonies Realm and then achieve Great Success in just two or three months...

Who else in the world could boast of such an astonishing cultivation speed?

Unfortunately, this was unique to the Outer Three Harmonies Realm. This stage was all about twisting together the three forces—of sinew, bone, and skin—and forging them as one. No power was wasted, allowing the application of force to enter a new state and truly give rise to ’Strength’ from within the flesh and blood.

The Outer Three Harmonies are the secret to Martial Dao Foundation Establishment.

A Martial Artist must build their foundation on three principles: sinews like flood dragons coiling around a green mountain, bones like Refined Steel forged into a Sword Embryo, and skin like Profound Armor covering a Golden Bell. When these three forces combine to form the power of dragon and tiger, they intertwine like dragons and serpents rising from the earth. With a simple lift of the hand or foot, one can unleash power far exceeding their physical form.

This step laid a solid foundation for the next one: stepping into the realm of the inhuman.

After breakfast, Xu Yunfan was about to pick up his Thunderfire Qilin Hammer to activate the Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength within his body. Now that the Thousand-Pound Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique had formed a single skill, no matter which of the component techniques he practiced, the Skill Levels of the other two would also increase. It was naturally much easier.

"Junior Martial Uncle Xu!"

A Foundry Hall Disciple burst through his courtyard gate in a panic, waving a letter in his hand.

"Master left a letter! He said it was for you!"

Xu Yunfan’s expression shifted slightly as several guesses immediately formed in his mind.

Xu Yunfan unfolded the letter. The pine-soot ink carried the familiar scent of Cold Iron, a chilling aura that came from Fu Jin’s Blood Qi due to his years of forging weapons.

Fu Jin’s handwriting was like a broken blade carving stone, the force of it penetrating the back of the paper: